Southern Jungles
by Blueyay
Summary: Eridan is an anthropologist who brings his cousin Karkat with him on his expedition to learn about the tribes of the Southern Jungles. Karkat has to keep his albinism a secret because of the tribes superstitions. Unfortunately Gamzee, a high ranking tribe member, discovers it. TW: Mentions of Blood, Drugging, Kidnapping will be edited as it continues.
1. Anthropology

His name is Eridan Ampora, and fuck he almost got his cousin killed. He knew it was dangerous to bring him along, considering the tribes beliefs.

Eridan Ampora world famous anthropologist, annoying hipster, and loving cousin, decided to bring his cousin as an assistant on his next expedition. He didn't need to tell him twice to bring spare colored contacts and to dye his hair extra dark.

Karkat Vantas is albino and the tribe Eridan is going to visit have quite a few superstitions about albinos. They believed that an albino was a spirit trapped in a human body for one of three reasons.

1. They were trying to trick humans into doing something that could doom the tribe.

2. Another spirit trapped them to get revenge.

3. The spirit fell in love with a human soul and is now constantly being reborn as a human to be with them.

The only way to free a spirit was to burn the body it was trapped in. It's a very scary ritual when he thinks of all those painted faces bathed in blood, dancing around a flaming corpse. Eridan plans on keeping Karkat in the background, far away from the tribe. They called themselves the high bloods even though ten percent of the tribe is actually considered a high blood the rest are either mid-bloods or low bloods. They reside deep within the southern jungles. They have a lot of rituals and ceremonies that frighten most people away. Some of which include battles against rival tribes, using the bones of their fallen enemy to make jewelry, making blood sacrifices, and using blood to mark those in tune with spirits.

"Are you sure about this Karkat?" Eridan asked once they were inside the airport. "This is your last chance to back out, and I really don't want to see you get hurt." "I'll be fine, besides what else am I going to do there's nothing left for me at home." Karkat replied. A wave of guilt hits Eridan but he doesn't let it show. He's knows that it's his fault Karkat's parents disowned him. He was the one who urged him to tell his parents about his sexuality, he was the one who believed they would never hate Karkat and now look at his life.

Now he can't say no to his favorite cousin. They both clear airport security and board the plane. Eridan's plan was to meet up with Feferi and Sollux in the city closest to the southern jungles. From there they will have a guide lead them to the high bloods. Eridan can't bring more than four people with him otherwise the tribe will feel threaten and attack.

On the plane Eridan explained to Karkat everyone's job. Feferi will be their Medical doctor and botanical expert, she will be studying the rare and exotic sopor plant that the high bloods used in their ceremonies. Sollux will be their computer expert in charge of all the technical equipment and working the camera. Karat will be a general assistant, helping out where ever he can, mostly holding the camera for Sollux. Other than that Karkat is to remain at the campsite at all times unless noted otherwise.

After the twelve hour flight and the four hour journey into the southern jungles Eridan and his team meet up with a tribe member. She looked like a small teenage girl, her face was painted to look like a green cat with two mouths, and she wore horns on her head that were shaped to look like cat ears. The language of the high bloods is mostly sign language and silly faces very rarely do they use words as far as outsiders know. The tribal girl, Nepeta as she introduced herself, shows them where to set up camp and informs them of the direction of the tribe's main village before leaving.

It took them two hours to set up camp. They were all tired and decided to rest for a while. Eridan sat down to read a book, Sollux pulled out an old Pokémon game, Feferi decided to brush her hair, and Karkat chose to take a nap. He handed Eridan his spare contacts just in case. It was a while before Nepeta returned.

"Karkat." Eridan called out as he entered Karkat's tent. "Hmmm…. what?" he replied looking up. "Put your contacts back in right now! Someone from the tribe is here!" Eridan shouted as soon as he saw Karkat's blood red eyes. "Alright, I'm on it." Karkat groaned rubbing sleep from his eyes. "You are going to stay here and keep an eye on everything while Fef, Sol, and I go and introduce ourselves to the tribe." Eridan said. "Got it." Karkat responded with a yawn. Eridan left the tent and headed out with the rest of his team.


	2. Starting Trouble

You are now Karkat Vantas

After Eridan and his team left, you came out of your tent with your colored contacts on and stretched. After eating a snack to wake you up, you started to clean and straighten things up around the camp, mostly just to keep yourself busy. It took you fifteen minutes to realize that you were not alone. There were two people from the tribe just outside of the campsite. The taller one looked to be about your age, his face was painted in a way that reminded you of clowns. Upon his head were a pair of large goat horns. The shorter, had bull horns and looked a few years younger than his companion. His face had orange lines painted on his face to resemble that of an ox. They were just standing there looking at you, it was a bit unnerving. You guessed that they probably from the tribe that Eridan is visiting at the moment. You ignore them and went back to organizing things around the camp. You didn't notice when the taller one moved. You jumped when he suddenly grabbed your shoulder, making you drop the box you were holding. You turn around quickly to hit him, but he catches your arm. He made a face and stuck his tongue out at you. You recall Eridan having explained that when you don't understand something just keep a straight face. He lets go of your arm and starts to tickle your sides. You have to bite your lip to keep from smiling. Your face began to turn red as it heated up. It felt like you were choking on the withheld laughter. The one with bull horns snuck up on you from behind and started tickling you in different places until he found a spot that made squirm. You try to take a deep breath but end up laughing your ass off. They keep on tickling you until you collapsed on the ground gasping for breath.

You were now laying on the ground trying to remember how to breathe. One of them put a handful of leafs in your face. It made you drowsy and soon you started to drift off into slumber.

= Be Eridan

Your name is Eridan and you finally got used to the natives way of communicating. It was mostly sign language, interpreting body language and exaggerated facial expressions. They do use words from time to time, but usually to name people and describe abstract concepts. You told them about Karkat back at the campsite and that you would introduce him later. When they inquired who else was with him, and you responded with "I left him there alone." they began to show signs of distress.

Apparently you should never leave anyone alone in the jungle, for fear of wild animals, but that wasn't their main concern. You should also never be alone during the festival of third harvest, where every child that became an adult in the past year celebrated by pulling pranks in pairs and groups. At first you thought that they were worrying over nothing, until they described one of the most successful pranks last year that caused two concussions, seven broken bones, and **almost** killing one of the Grand Elders. Of course Vriska, the one responsible for said prank, was punished severely along with her accomplice; but that didn't stop the others from going a little wild.

Oh shit.

Karkat doesn't know their language. You and Sollux head back to camp leaving Feferi behind to study plants.

Be the mute medicine man.

You are now the mute medicine man, and your name is Kurloz. You hope to the messiahs that your brother and his friend didn't actually go through with their plan. You left the female outsider with some sopor leaves to study. You explained to her earlier what they were for. When the leaves are freshly picked they can make a body sleep through a storm. But if you mashed and boiled the leaves for an hour it becomes a bright green slime that helps you see spirits. Last time you had slime everyone looked like they were made of colorful flowers and some of them were flying. You decided to check your father's hive, before looking for your brother. You never understood why your father kept skulls on the roof of his hive, but you thought it looked pretty neat.

You hear shuffling and giggling from inside. Upon entering your father's hive you find your brother and his friend on the floor with an outsider between them. He was sitting on Tavros' lap while Gamzee was trying to figure out how the outsider's confounding clothes work. This prank has already gone too far. You sneak up on them and knock their heads together. They fell down backwards, losing consciousness. You picked up the outsider and notice his eyes were unfocused and dilated. They must have given him slime, those blasphemes motherfuckers. You use two fingers to open his mouth and lick into his mouth to taste for slime. Fuck the kid is practically choking on the stuff. You take the outsider back to your hive where Feferi is still studying the sopor plant you gave her. She was surprised to see him all dizzy. You tried to explain what went down between your brother and the outsider, but she didn't pick up on the sign language too well.

= Feferi Radio Eridan


	3. On Cloud 9

Be worried Relative.

Eridan arrived back at camp with Sollux, the camp looked normal, everything was in place, except Karkat was nowhere to be seen. After half an hour of frantic searching, Feferi radios them.

Feferi: "Eridan I need you to grab my medical equipment and come back to camp. Kurloz found Karkat."

Eridan: "Holy shit, what happened?"

Feferi: "I don't know, I need you to get here and translate. And don't forget my medical equipment!"

Eridan: "Can you at least tell me what's wrong?"

Feferi: "I think one of the natives gave him something, I need to pump his stomach now."

Eridan: "Okay we're on our way."

Eridan quickly found Feferi's medical equipment. After splitting the load with Sollux they rush back to the tribe as quickly as they can. As Eridan entered Kurloz's hive he tripped sending the supplies scattering across the floor. Sollux being close behind Eridan fell on top of him, clutching the supplies he was carrying to his chest. Feferi had no time for their collective clumsiness. She quickly grabbed what she needed and began to treat Karkat.

Be the high as fuck outsider twenty minutes ago.

You are now Karkat and you have no idea what the fuck is going on. You feel like you should be angry because some guy is trying to take your pants off, but he looks friendly. You giggle at yet another failed attempt from the stranger, seriously who doesn't know how pants work. You would do it yourself, but you don't feel like it. It is way too comfy sitting in the other guy's lap. Everything is warm and cozy and you could just float like this forever.

After some time of watching the smiling stranger's hair dance, a third stranger lifts you up. Oh, the other guys are taking a nap.

You don't know where you're going but you already miss the weird clown thingy. Heh, the other guy looked like a moo beast, wait, I mean cows. Coooowwwss. Weird as hell word. Oh look Feferi is here, when did she have pink eyes. Fuchsia, that's what it's called. Feferi, Fuchsia, Fusieferi. Fefehsia. I really want some berries now. Hey Feferi has one of those thingies for doing something. Fuck. You end up vomiting uncontrollably.

Be the troublemaker.

You are now Gamzee and fuck do you have one hell of a headache. You try to stand, but dizziness overcomes you and you fall back down. Luckily you and your friend weren't out too long. Looks like your brother found out about your prank. All you wanted to do was switch clothes between the outsider and Tavros, it would've been so funny. Of course you wouldn't abandon the outsider, you were going to keep him in your own hive until third harvest was over, then return him in his own clothes.

You and Tavros get out of there before your dad returns.

Hiding does neither of you any good. Your brother finds you in your usual hiding spot. Apparently Tavros was hiding at Nepeta's, you didn't know they got along.

Your brother drags the both of you before your father, who is angrier than jaguar that had its tail stepped on.

After about an hour of interrogating and scolding, you admit that you came up with the idea yourself. Tavros was dismissed. Your father gave you a look and left the room. You got up and followed him. You both arrive at Kurloz's hive were you see three other outsiders surrounding the one you were messing with earlier. Your father gives you a disapproving glare and shoves you forward. He wants you to apologize before telling you what your punishment is. You take a deep breath before approaching the group.

Be the "fuck my life" guy.

You are now Karkat Vantas and fuck everything that ever came into being. Life decided to hit you with its pissed stained baseball bat upside the head. God fucking dammit your head feels like it was drop of a cliff then chewed on by a pack of ravenous wolves. There is enough light to burn your eyes into bloody boiling crisps.

"Karkat, can you hear me?" Feferi whispers, but to you it sounds like shouting.

Out of anger you shout at her "What!". Big mistake. You just made your own ears feel like they were stabbed with flaming scissors. You hiss biting your tongue, so you don't cry. You squeeze your eyes shut and take deep breaths. You feel something cold pressed to your forehead and it relieves some of the pain.

After an hour and several canteens of water your pain has been reduce to a dull throbbing in the back of your head. Eridan, Feferi, and Sollux were right by you in case you needed something. Looking around your surroundings you notice you're not at camp, and two natives were outside the circle of your friends. One of them is shoved forward by the elder. Eridan notices and begins communication with them.

From your point of view the way they are moving reminds you of the time you accidentally broke your neighbor's window and your dad made you apologize. You then had to run errands for them to pay for a new window. Eridan turns back to you.

"Karkat how are you feeling?" he asks. You grunt in reply.

"Well guess what, as punishment Gamzee is to assist you as you recover." he tells you. "Fuck. No." you respond. You try to get up and leave but your legs give out beneath you. Now that you think about it you can't really feel your legs at all. Before you can freak out Feferi reassures you that it's temporary. "Karkat before you say no again think of it as a learning experience for the anthropological community." Eridan tries to persuade you. "Fucking fine, but he better not try anything weird." you spit out your reply.

Be the guy carrying Karkat.

You are now Gamzee, and you learned that the short outsider you are carrying is named Karkat. Your brother told you that you gave him way too much slime; almost enough to kill him. Luckily the female outsider, wait she was called Feferi, was able to get the slime out of Karkat. You can't remember the other two outsiders name but as long as you are taking care of Karkat it doesn't really matter.

Be the guy with personal problems.

You are now Eridan and damn it, you should be focus on research and studying a foreign culture not checking out the hot doctor. You can't help but notice how her hair swishes like waves hitting a beach, on the way back to camp. Your glad Gamzee is carrying Karkat, 'cause you're pretty sure neither you or Sollux alone would've been able to carry him. Not to mention the bulk of the medical supplies and equipment you guys are carrying back with you.

It also gives you a chance to lag back and watch Feferi walk ahead of you. She just glows, from the way she smiles, to the way she skips every now and then. You have developed quite a crush on her and It hurts. You know she likes someone else. You've seen the way she looks at Sollux and you don't blame her. He's taller than you by a good five inches and for a computer nerd he has a pretty well-built body. Not to mention his eyes are two different colors. His left eye is a rich chocolate while his right eye is a piercing blue. Wait, what. That's it you are taking a long cold shower when you get the chance. You know there are several waterfalls in the jungles and only two of them are hard to find.


	4. Good Morning

Be the man.

You are now Sollux and even though you're aware you're dreaming, you're not waking up. This is most definitely the weirdest dream you've ever had. First off you are shirtless.

Secondly, Feferi, who you have known for years, was in front of you leaning forward and kissing you. Behind you was Eridan, he had his arms around your waist and was nibbling your ear. You were getting warm all over especially after one of them decided to slip their hand down your pants and the other grabbed your ass.

Just as you were about to return both favors, a loud scream wakes you up.

Be the Screaming Guy.

You're not really screaming your just saying obscenities in a really high volume. Damn it you should not have fallen asleep on the way to camp. You didn't know what you were expecting, but it was not this. The weird guy from yesterday was right next to you with his arms around your waist. You appreciate that he carried you back to camp safely but sharing a sleeping bag with someone made you uncomfortable. You kick your way out his grip, goddamn this fucker can sleep through shit storm of screaming harpies. Getting up you knock over a stack of boxes you were using as a night stand. Shit there goes your books scattered across the floor and Gamzee for some god forsaken reason is still asleep. You try to stand but your legs kept shaking and giving out. You give yourself a few minutes to stretch and carefully stand up. Your legs are feeling better for the most part, you just have to do things slowly.

Fuck you left your contacts in and now your eyes are irritated. You are such a brain dead idiot. Well you can't take them out with this guy here. You carefully hobble to Eridan's tent to get your second pair.

When you walk into his tent you are greeted with the sight of a sleeping Eridan making out with his pillow. Instead of having an aneurysm from over exposure to disturbing events, you decide that this morning isn't real. You are just having a really horrible dream that your subconscious felt justified in giving to a horrible person. You find your second pair of colored contacts and switch them out. You leave the pair of contacts you slept in on Eridan's makeshift night stand, after thoroughly cleaning them.

Be the nerd with sweet dreams.

You are now Eridan and life is great. You finally got to confess your feelings to Feferi and she returned them! Just as things were getting good you were abruptly pulled from your dreams. Someone just assaulted your face with a book. You fumble around untangling yourself from your blanket and grope your makeshift nightstand for your glasses. Someone places your glasses on your face. You look up to see Sollux standing there. "Did you have to hit me in the face?" you ask glaring at him.

Be Sollux

You are now Sollux and you just woke Eridan up by hitting him in the face with a book. You were mad that he called out Feferi's name in his sleep.

While he was making out with his pillow.

Now you know why Karkat didn't stick around in here. Wait, why would you be mad that he's dreaming about Feferi? Whatever. You grab his glasses and shove them on his face. You think he asked you a question. You weren't listening, so you reply with "Shut up, breakfast is ready."

You head back out to the breakfast table. You are hungry damn it!

"Sollux do you want some waffles?" Feferi asks you. "Aww yeah, waffles for breakfast." Shit you didn't mean to say that out loud. Feferi giggles and says "Well, you look nice today." "Thanks." you reply. Out of the corner of your eye you notice Karkat messing with some of the boxes.

Wake up Gamzee.

You are now Gamzee and man you are tired. First you had to carry Karkat back to his camp then you had to wrangle him into his "sleeping bag" as the adults called it. That thing was motherfucking hard to figure out. You ended up getting both Karkat and yourself into the damn thing. At that point you were too tired and just fell asleep on him. You woke up five minutes ago and Karkat was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he's getting his munch on. You walk out of Karkat's tent and see the lady making breakfast. The guy with mismatched eyes is fussing over Karkat, who is messing with stuff. You have no idea what it is, so you sit down at the table.

Eventually the guy, who can actually communicate with you, comes out of his tent and sees Karkat arguing with mismatch eyes. He breaks them up and drags Karkat over to you. He asks you to keep an eye on Karkat and make sure he eats his breakfast.

You pull the little motherfucker into your lap and try hand feeding him some of the food the nice lady made. Karkat ends up biting your finger.

Be the nice Lady making breakfast.

You are now Feferi and you woke up this morning very excited. Everyone had agreed that they would take turns with the chores and today you got cooking duty. You finally had the chance to show off your waffle making skills. Being a longtime friend of Sollux you already know all of his favorite foods. You know you shouldn't flirt with colleagues on a professional expedition, but you're sure if worse comes to worse everyone will handle things maturely. Everyone **is** an adult, well Karkat is a young adult. You heard some screaming as you were collecting ingredients then watched Karkat leave his tent and head to Eridan's. After starting on the waffles Karkat comes out of Eridan's tent as Sollux goes in to wake him up. Sollux comes back out and you offer him some waffles. Then Karkat starts messing with some equipment and Sollux leaves to stop him. Darn it. Eventually Gamzee comes to the table and sits down, he probably wouldn't understand what's going on. You start making something other than waffles like bacon and hash browns. Finally Eridan comes out of his tent and breaks up the fight between Sollux and Karkat. You watch as Eridan drags Karkat over to Gamzee, you're not sure what the hand gestures mean, but you think Eridan wants Gamzee to keep Karkat out of trouble. You set the rest of the food down on the table and fix a plate for yourself. You watch Gamzee try to hand feed Karkat. Oh, that is the cutest thing you have ever seen, until Karkat bites his finger.


End file.
